Death is a good thing
by Bangel-love-bug
Summary: Takes place in what in my opinion should happen after season 7 episode 3 - same time, same place... Willow is sick after her deadly encounter with the gnarl demon and Tara is there to help... but on her way she runs into Rak.
1. Chapter 1

Death is a good thing

"All alone, no one wants you" Willow woke up her face pale; she had been ill for days and couldn't stop thinking about the gnarl demon that attacked her the night before. She knew buffy had killed him but she still felt his unwanted presence.

"I brought you some tea" Tara entered Willow's bedroom a tray with camomile tea and her pain killers in hand.

"No, please Tara baby I don't want them!" Willow sounded like a spoilt child her lips stuck out like a park bench.

"The doctor said you needed them – to help you get better" Tara sat anxiously on the edge of Willow's bed and held her cold hand.

"Why does he want me?"

"What do you mean, Will, are you okay?"

"The gnarl demon, he keeps coming back, in my dreams he keeps saying that I'm all alone like he did that night" Willow's shoulders were shuddering.

"They're just dreams baby; they are nothing to worry about"

"But it just seemed so real, like he was still there, haunting me, he ate my skin Tara, he paralysed me and Dawnie and he didn't go down easily"

"Trust me; I'll protect you, whatever happens I'll be there"

Willow gave a weak smile obviously not truly believing Tara's kind words.

Tara smiled back reassuring her, it seemed like they had their own secret code using gestures to express their feelings.


	2. Chapter 2

"TARA!" Willow was screeching from her bed.

Tara rushed in eager to see what was wrong with her invalid girlfriend.

"Sssh, baby I'm here, everything's okay" Tara reassured a broken Willow stroking her soft chestnut hair.

Willow was crying – loudly, waking up Dawn in the process who came rushing in to Willow's room a scared look dawned over her 15 year old face.

"Willow, are…are, you okay?" Dawn looked puzzled.

"We need to get her back to hospital Dawnie, there's something wrong, She thinks that the gnarl demon is coming back – for both of you, Oh, Dawn I just don't know what to do"

The next morning Willow woke up to Tara leaning over her bed.

"Come on baby, it's time for your appointment, with the psychiatrist"

"What do you mean, what psychiatrist, Tara I don't understand?"

"Willow, you need help, and not just mine I mean professional help, don't worry it's with a demon specialist psychiatrist, they'll believe you, they have had an encounter with the Gnarl too"

"DON'T YOU UNDERSTAND, WHEN ARE YOU GOING TO GET IT THROUGH YOUR THICK SKULL, TARA!? I DON'T NEED YOUR HELP AND I DON'T WANT IT!"

The next thing willow knew was a couple of men in white suits carrying her out of bed and carting her off in a small van as she ended up locked in a room with who she assumed was a demon specialist psychiatrist but as he turned round his fingers clasped together she recognised him backing away to the door – it was Rak – the warlock that made her addicted to dark magic…


	3. Chapter 3

"Stay away from me" Willow said bravely though underneath all the power she felt like crumbling.

"Oh, precious how can you be so ungrateful, after all the power I gave you, you loved it didn't you, and you regret that you disowned Tara for me, and you hurt that poor innocent little girl"

Rak was frightening the life out of Willow stroking her face and twirling her hair around his finger.

Willow could feel his breath on her neck, she was trembling and so were her knees – she reached for the door knob but he grabbed her hand breaking her wrist.

Tears were streaming down her face she opened her mouth and spat in his face he backed away.

"Oooh, is my little one growing up is she scared, scared of me, scared of everything I am going to do to her?"

Rak pushed her against the door smacking her head against it giving her a concussion.

Willow woke up her eyes fluttering; Rak was still there about 3cm away from her terrified face.

"Why are you here, what do you want?"

"Well, I want revenge, you took power from me used it for evil like a good girl, and then you turn everything around become good again, spoil my fun, I've been watching you, every single move you know I'm sure it would be nice if Tara followed in her lover's footsteps."

"Don't say her name, you are pure unadulterated evil and you need to be stopped"

"You know what Willow, I think it's time to make a sacrifice, I think it's time you choose"

"What are you talking about?" Willow asks confused.

Rak shows Willow a vision, its Oz, and he's chaining himself up ready for the full moon.

"NO!"

"I'm sorry Willow, you played with my life, I'll play with yours, tonight Oz is going to die, you know he's waiting for you, he told me that he can't imagine living his life without you"

"No, this is my mistake not Oz's, don't hurt him please, I'll do anything!"

"The only way that you can save Oz is sacrificing Tara instead, so what's it gonna be?"


	4. Chapter 4

"No, I said no, I won't choose, I…I love them both!"

"Oh, don't be greedy, or I'll just kill both, how guilty would you feel, choosing between them, whoops, look at the time 20 minutes - tick tock goes the clock, I would hurry up if I were you, you don't want two deaths on your hands do you?"

"STOP IT, please just stop!" Willow begged him.

"10 minutes, soon it will be 5 and then it will be 0 – time for? To die!"

"Will it be poor innocent and if I do say so myself short little Oz, because you never loved him – really you were just pretending, little wolf boy meant nothing to you and you know it"

"THAT'S NOT TRUE! HE MEANT THE WORLD TO ME!"

"But Tara is your newest conquest; surely you'll choose to be with her, who cares about loner wolf boy, you know that he sent you some letters, telling you how much he misses you but Tara took them away, she hid them from you Willow how does that make you feel – lonely, depressed, hell even vengeful!"

"You're lying, you're the one who is lonely and depressed no one has ever loved you and they never will!" Willow bounced back standing up as she eyed her wrist using her mind to heal it.

"Ah, very neat, but I'm neater!" Rak thrashed Willow against the wall her nose was bloody and she was weak.

"I guess that it's Oz!" Rak said showing Willow a vision of Oz as two hit men walked in with metal whips Willow was watching Oz being beaten to death he fell to the ground but then Rak changed it over to Tara she was walking down the stairs – Willow knew what was coming, a warlock similar to Rak pushed her down them.

"Oh, well maybe it's clumsy, clumsy Tara, whoopsies had a little fall I think she has a boo boo!"

"5…4…3…2…1 BOOM!"


	5. Chapter 5

Willow looked straight ahead there was a sword – a dangerous, sharp and pointy sword in front of her face it was plunged through Rak's chest Willow let out a sigh of relief she was panting, breathless – he fell to the ground.

Willow woke up from her dream she wished it was reality with Rak dead she wouldn't have anything to worry about.

"What happened?" asked Willow – she was worried

"They're gone; you couldn't save them, naughty Willow!"

"No, Tara!"

"I tricked you! Actually, none of them are dead well until now you just chose Tara – well mere mortal, she will be safe though I might invite her for – tea if you know what I mean!"

"But, Oz?"

"Oh I am so sorry Willow but he's gone – actually that's a lie I don't care and I'm not sorry well I best be of I have people to treat!"

And with a click of the fingers he was gone – completely like all the damage he had done didn't matter well, I suppose that to him it didn't matter…

"No, why stop don't go where's Oz!"

Willow broke down there and then he was gone – it was her fault.

6 months later:

At Oz's funeral everyone was sharing memories of how great he was – Willow was stuck at home – she was still ill but had no choice but to look after Tara she was on crutches after her "accident" nothing was the same Willow was still wondering whether to go to Oz's memorial service but the guilt would be unbearable…


	6. Chapter 6

"Willow, help!" called Tara

Willow came rushing down the stairs to see Tara lying on the kitchen floor – she had fallen over after trying to reach a high shelf, getting used to her crutches was harder than she thought.

"Tara, baby are you hurt?"

"I'm not a child; I just had a little fall"

"Well, you asked for help, so I came, Isn't that what you wanted?"

"Just stop talking!"

Willow sighed, "I am sick of you treating me like I'm a piece of crap on your shoe, I am doing the best that I can!"

"Yeah, well maybe it's not enough, look Willow I looked after you when you were sick so why you can't help me I don't know!"

"Well, if you feel that way fine, maybe I am best of just leaving!" Willow said marching off.

"She said that I was treating her like a child, that I wasn't doing enough to help her, Buffy help me out" said Willow to a hopeless Buffy trying not to get distracted by the fact that Xander and Anya were sat opposite the two of them doing some pretty heavy making out like they had been doing nonstop for the last 30 minutes.

"Just let her ease up a bit you know, and then things will be more, easical" said Buffy not making sense as usual.

"Well, I see your point but one, I can't leave her, two, she doesn't want me to, and three easical isn't a word!"

Willow went back home feeling awful for just leaving Tara she expected a shouting match when she got home but no there was something else….

Scented candles, roses, chocolates and red petals, Willow walked through the door to see Tara down on one knee well one crutch " , will you make me the happiest woman alive and be my wife?"


	7. Chapter 7

"Yes of course yes!" screamed Willow crying tears of joy as Tara placed a beautiful diamond ring on her finger.

Tara smiled at Willow and stroked her face as they leant into each other and kissed…

The next day Xander and Anya came round to Tara and Willow's apartment with exciting news – Xander had proposed to her!

Tara and Willow looked at each other and the other couple "Should we tell them?" asked Tara. Willow put her hand on Tara's shoulder and Xander saw the ring.

"Don't tell me you kids are gonna tie the knot anytime soon?" asked Xander speaking in a sarcastic tone as usual.

"Oh, that's nice" said Anya.

Tara and Willow both smiled as Xander announced that they should have a joint wedding

"Oh, dammit it's my big day they're taking it away from me!" said Anya speaking her own mind as per use.

"So you guys are like getting married all together and stuff so I was thinking that I should be the best man!" said Andrew eating his Popsicle.

Anya wacked him in the face with her empty plate after licking it clean – literally. Xander replied to that with "That's my girl" for some reason he sounded proud…

Buffy sighed as she gazed at the ring on Willow's finger.

Faith was there to it was like one big dinner party on the couch.

"Nice ring you got there I'm sure B's green inside" said Faith why she couldn't just be glad for them instead of being a bitch was a mystery…


End file.
